


The Crimson Letter

by pen102



Series: ANBU - Turbluences [5]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Anbu Shiranui Genma, BAMF Hatake Kakashi, BAMF Shiranui Genma, Banter, Blow Jobs, Corpses, Crime Scenes, Kakashi using his intuition, M/M, Murder, Nature, Physical Abuse, Profiling, Smart Is The New Sexy, people with issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:20:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29046027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pen102/pseuds/pen102
Summary: (Former Title: And The Hero Will Die)On their way back from a straining ANBU-mission in Steel, a messenger-bird reaches a tired and battered Kakashi and Genma, bringing in a new mission.Trying to find Umino Iruka who’s disappeared in a mountain village in Shrine Country, both ANBU stumble upon a terrible murder-case, in which the missing chunin is involved.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Umino Iruka, Hatake Kakashi/Shiranui Genma
Series: ANBU - Turbluences [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1459090
Kudos: 16





	1. Sneaky Ninja

**Author's Note:**

> I watched too many wildlife documentaries and crime series lately. Be warned. Also of discussions of how to raise a person (a tasked a 14 year old boy to write a rap song about what was troubling him, and he wrote a critique about some parents only caring for their own child(ren). That touched my heart and somehow found its way in here.
> 
> The usual warnings for: grammar, spelling, poor choice of words.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> About good resting areas, boundaries considering clients, and the coming down from a mission in the middle of nowhere.

“How’s your shoulder?”, Kakashi asked after he sat down on a fallen tree across from Genma and their little happily cackling bonfire. That's when he noticed the leaf and the small bug crawling over it in his silver hair, and he carefully combed them out with his fingers. Scouting in a rainforest - especially at night - could do that to you - and this place seemed particularly crawly. ...Was that a dangerous spider ducking under the leaf next to his hand? Anyway, the sight across the fire was way more interesting.

Genma’s hazel eyes, almost black in the dark, followed the bug's slow retreat on the ground as if expecting it to change directions and crawl over to his stuff, while absentmindedly stretching his shoulder, and completely ignored Kakashi's question as well as Kakashi's arachnid neighbour. “I made green tea. It’ll ease the inflammation in your knees.”

 _Aww._ Kakashi didn’t even try to hide his appreciation of the small gesture. Missions with Genma had been rare over the last three years. The assassin and elite bodyguard had been tasked with so many bodyguard missions together with Raidou and Iwashi, that one might think he didn't live in Konoha anymore - to Kakashi's chagrin. Before this mission, it had been three months since they'd seen each other. Since they'd hold each other in their arms, feeling, touching, caring, smelling,.... Way too long to not feel the burning passion of want.... Damn, Kakashi admitted to himself, he was touchstarved... And their shared mission hadn't helped at all. “I knew you wouldn’t be angry at me forever after I stopped you from killing our client.”

The dark look Genma sent him as an answer told him he was still walking on thin ice, and Kakashi inwardly sighed at the loss of Genma's goodwill. He'd have thought the other would feel desperate because of the lack of sex in the past months, but now it seemed Genma's libido had indeed simply and tragically withered away. Strangely enough, the thought hurt, even if it was just, that the other might have lost interest in him. And even more: the special jounin was angry at him. 

In a futile attempt to hide said anger, Genma leaned forward to grab his own cup of tea and completely forgot about his shoulder, which made Kakashi even more concerned. 

“Fuck…” He groaned and decided to use his good arm and a change of topics instead. “Still hurting. But feels okay compared to yesterday. A cup full of sleep and time will do the rest.”

“You know you are allowed to use painkillers?”

“I…’d rather not. Had to take so many in the last months, my stomach and liver might kill me. Or the other way ‘round.”

Hiding his concern, Kakashi pulled down his mask, took a sip from his tea and enjoyed the rich and slightly bitter taste of green tea for a moment while more or less studying his tired and handsome mission partner in secret.  
“In your stubbornness to numb the pain to be able to concentrate on your surroundings again: did you notice the poisonous snake of approximately 4 meters lenghts wrapped around the tree branch behind your head?”

“In your stubbornness to care for others more than for yourself: did you notice the alligator dozing in the bushes behind you?" Kakashi snickered good-humouredly, and Genma coninued after another dark look. "Maybe you should have chosen a better place for us to rest, captain. Not even the shy species are shy here.”

The copy-nin went for a shrug that could be interpreted either as apologetic or amused, silently wishing for the man to finally notice the moment, the timing, to be perfect to do the thing. He leaned back a little and took off his ANBU-west as a not so subtle hint. “This is Mangrove Country." That spoke for itself in his eyes. What did Genma expect? There was only swamp, water or mud. "And no harm done in choosing a place where at least our feet and clothes can dry.” He patted his wooden seat for emphasis, scaring the spider away. “I like this tree. It’s a comfy tree. How’s your stone? Care to join me on this nice piece of wood to snuggle?” A wiggle of eyebrows for a final sublte touch of emphasis. After four weeks of mission-professionalism, Kakashi felt the faint but alluring tug of touch-starvation get the better of him.

The slap of Genma’s hand hitting his sweaty forehead was surprisingly loud and the alligator snapped up its head to look at them before retreating into the shadows of the night. “It's usually you who's taunting me for my libido." 

_Yes,_ Kakahi thought, _so why...?_

His teammate wiped his forehead with the back of his hand before grinning lazily, and Kakashi felt his dick giving an excited jolt. "It’s already hot enough here, and my stone is hard but pleasantly cool.” Under his captains’s heated gaze he slapped at his throat to shoo away a mosquito before massaging his hurt shoulder again, and that was when Kakashi started suspecting the other might play with him.  
“Best place to have an open wound.”

“I used all of my skills to make the stitches look beautiful.”

“Won’t do if the crazy butterfly finds me in my sleep. Did you know, there is a butterfly in Mangrove Country which lays its eggs into open wounds? The larvae hatch and feast on the flesh of the unfortunate animal or human they find.”

“I take it as my responsibility as an ANBU-Captain to defend my fellow jounin from potential dangers such as butterflies.” Still, Kakashi couldn’t help himself but let his imagination run wild. He shuddered - larvae in combination with human flesh always gave him the creeps. It was only natural for his mind to go into full denial mode when it came to larvae and Genma... “Did you learn about this horrible stuff when Raidou, Iwashi and you escorted the biologist for research purposes across the countries via Hiraishin a year ago?”

Genma’s eyebrow twitched and Kakashi knew he dug gold. There were stories behind that eyebrow-twitch waiting to be explored… For research purposes. And mybe more...

“Momoko-san. Yes. In fact, she’s a cute woman – in her own nerdy way. For example, we found a young pelican on Pelican-Island, who was late to train his wing muscles for his first flight. Most of his generation had already flew out into the world and he was almost the only bird remaining on that grassy cliff. Momoko stepped in front of the poor guy and fluttered her arms like crazy to show him how to use his wings… She did it for seven days until the pelican flew away. Iwashi joked the bird felt so annoyed by her constantly doing the “fly-dance”, he just learned how to fly to get away from her. Still… I thought it was… touching. In a way. Biologists are awesome.”

Kakashi snickered. “I wish I could have seen your face when she started her dance.”

Now it was Genma’s turn to grin, making his senbon catch the light of the bonfire. “Should have seen Raidou's. By the way, I never knew pelicans were that big. We also met wild camels on Suna’s borders where Raidou and Momoko helped an angry camel lady in an animal care center to give birth.” A hearty laugh at the seemingly hilarious memory, and Kakashi couldn’t help but picture Raidou with his arm buried deep in… well, for the dignity of the female camel, not a picture to imagine with too many details. 

“Raidou got a hoof kick into his chest and almost ended with some broken ribs for his efforts.”

“Sounds like a fun journey.”

“If not for the poisonous snakes… Did you know, there are water snakes whose poison will turn your lungs into bloody mud within hours? Or the snakes that jump from tree to tree to hunt for geckos? And in all that chaos a nerdy biologist whose life was seemingly permanently at stake. I lost count of the times, one of us had to jump in and ended with a snake, an angry baboon or an octopus wrapped around their head. I won’t even start with the ants, frogs and spiders.”

“Was that where you learned new poisons?”

Genma’s face turned dark - again. Was Kakashi plaing him too much today? But their mission was over, they were in the middle of nowhere after a difficult mission... Why didn't the other jump him? He knew Genma loved to feel desired, and Kakashi desired him with passion. But first of all, they needed to talk about what Genma did.

“Really. I wouldn’t have killed our client. Even though he is one of the biggest assholes I’ve met in the last three years, I wouldn’t have killed him without being given the order to do so. But yes, even after you stopped me from using my kunai, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Would have used a poison that mimics that of the Green Tsuchigumo-Spider, which is a native species in Steel. But my poison would have caused complications and death within 74 days. No one would have traced the poison back to me or Konoha.” Hazel eyes met black. "Happy, taichou?!"

Kakashi gulped involuntarily. “Remind me not to anger you like that.”

The steely resolve more and more melted into something else until, finally, Genma's mouth turned up in a small but warm smile. There was a deep knowledge between them, a bond fordged through time and joint missions... They were too close to harm that bond too easily, even if their opinions differed. “With all our character flaws, deeply troubled shinobi souls, the disgusting deeds we must take responsibility for, it sometimes surprises me how our parents managed to make decent persons out of us. Still… When I look at our client, Nishi, and his mom-dragon, I wonder if it isn’t mostly her fault, he turned out the inhuman self-centered tyrant he is. What I mean is… she excuses _everything_ he does and blames every fault onto others, practically taught him he is the center of the universe or something. Makes me... think. What mom does that? Instead of teaching him how to face the world with respect of lives and nature and to care not only for his own, she… I don’t know. She avoided it. He’s an adult now and… I admit, it was a total shocker for me to see them and how… egoistically they perceive the world without regard for others... Others like that maid. I’m just glad I don’t have to see them again and that I have nothing to do with raising a child except training future chunin of Konoha.”

“And… if someone of their household, like the maid, finds something in the kitchen that might or might not be the poison of the Green Tsuchigumo-Spider, then…?”

Genma’s shoulders tensed. “Then that would be her decision and hers alone.”

Kakashi sighed. “Do you think that was wise? And necessary?”

“I don’t like abusers. Now she at least has a choice.”

“A drastic choice. With no chance for Nishi to change things on his own.”

“You really think someone like that will suddenly change and be a nice person that for a change _helps_ people?”

“We’ll never know. Of course, what he does is absolutely terrible and has no, absolutely no excuse. That’s why… I for my part…. gave the maid another choice. Next to your letter with the spider-poison I put a letter with a poison that causes impotence.” 

Genma almost lost his senbon. 

“Education isn’t everything, you know, it influences about 60 percent of our personality. About 40 percent of our character trades are innate. Who are we to know who might change or who deserves to die outside of a mission? We aren’t judges. But... What am I talking about, we are sneaky ninja bastards.”

Genma cocked his head to the side and studied his captain with deep respect. “Though I now must live with the knowledge that you have something in your pouch that causes impotence, I’m glad you aren’t only my captain. My smart, smart sexy captain.”

 _So intelligence is the new sexy?_ Before Kakashi could fully swim in the welcome adoration and use it to somehow convince the other to finally join him on his nice tree, he noticed the poisonous snake behind Genma’s head starting to move. “Errr, better you don’t move now. Black-venom-wrapped-around-the-tree-branch decided to exchange it with your neck.”

“No games, Kakashi! I don’t have the antidote for that! The next city is hours away!”

Ignoring the slightly panicked undertone, Kakashi grabbed a twig lying on the ground and now approached Genma’s position in slow-motion. He stopped with his crotch suspiciously close to the Tokujou's face. 

“Careful… Don’t move… I’ve got this…”

And somehow, he managed to persuade the snake to use the twig to climb onto a tree branch and slither into the dark of the forest. Yep, no snakes, no butterflies or alligators would touch his handsome teammate under his watch. Except mosquitos. They seemed to prefer the special jounin's blood over his own, so Genma had to take that one for his safety.

Maybe his grin was to bright, but he took immense joy in Genma’s _‘really,-Hatake?’_ -expression.

“Happy, captain?”

“That a way to treat your savior?” 

Suprisingly, Genma let his forehead fall against Kakashi’s muscular thigh before slinging and arm around the hips and press the man even closer. Without thought, Kakashi pulled Genma’s bandana off his head and let his fingers brush through the heavenly soft strands of brown, and the man actually purred a little. Fingers gently slid down, caressed ear and strong jawline, to finally pull the dark blue jounin shirt from the injured shoulder. 

“Checking for butterfly eggs, captain?” Genma mumbled into his thigh, but it sounded way too relaxed, more mumbled than articulated. Sometimes, the special jounin reminded him of a big cat. _He might even fall asleep like that._

The shoulder was littered in blue and green bruises, the recently sewn cut looked angry and swollen. 

He took out a fresh patch out of his pouch and threw the old one into the fire with his left hand, while the fingers of his right were still tracing invisible paths along warm, firm skin. ANBU-missions in Steel were usually a place to meet sharp samurai swords. It still amazed Kakashi, how his teammate had been able to dodge that attack, that had been aiming for his throat. An absolutely sexy throat. Maybe even the most sexiest in the world. No one should try to cut such a throat, such a work of art…

“You were right. It’s better, but not fine.” Did his voice sound too hoarse?

Genma looked up at him with a knowing smirk. “That’s not my shoulder, Kakashi.”

“Oh”, Kakashi answered, feeling not even a little bit guilty. 

An amused wheeze. „You didn’t use your sharingan on the snake to cause this intimate situation on our way back, now that the mission is over, did you?”

Kakashi now let his other hand cup Genma’s cheek in a firm but incredibly intimate gesture, deciding to throw his inhibitions about mission-professionalism over board, now that he was able to feel the other again. “I’d never abuse my power.”

“Yeah, that’s only what sneaky ninja bastards would do, right?”

Silver eyebrows wiggled in excitement. “Another snake-problem just turned up.”

Kakashi was absolutely certain he could feel the other's grin against his thigh, at least the shoulders shook a little. “Tsk. I expected clever wordplay, but… you know you already had my interest just by sitting on a fallen tree in nothing but tight ANBU-blacks, don't you?”

“What did you say? I only heard lips and cock and…-”

The words were choked down when Genma used his teeth to open Kakashi’s fly, torturously slow, hazel brown eyes hot and dark, forbidding any movement, and the deadly ANBU-captain felt his legs grow weak and start to tremble. It wasn't just himself that liked to play with the other's mind, Genma had indeed outsmarted him...

„Godaime-Sama shouldn’t send us out on missions together.” A senbon landing in the dirt beneath the fire, fingertips tracing the back of Kakashi’s suddenly oversensitive legs, sliding higher, leaving shivers and desire. “How am I supposed to concentrate if my captain seduces me in the loneliness of a faraway rainforest?”

“Isn’t it rather you who’s oozing all these sexy vibes while doing something like… swallowing?”

“Stop looking at me while I’m drinking tea!”  
“Can’t help myself but appreciate… _ohmygod_ … ah-art… And we complement each other…ngh,… so well, don’t you… agree?… I’d send us out together… all the time. S-shame she doesn’t-nghaah…hha..”

Genma let the hot cock slip out of his mouth and smirked, and Kakashi helplessly thought, that the most dangerous predator in this rainforest was currently sitting directly in front of him, armed with one of the most dangerous mouths in shinobi history. “Shame, huh? I’d say we’re lucky. Lucky sneaky ninja bastards.”

~*~*~

The sound of Genma’s sleeping bag indicated the other was awake, too. 

Kakashi rose his arm to let the little messenger bird land his gloved hand.

“What is it?”

Kakashi took his time to read and make sense of the little information written on the small scroll. “Iruka’s disappeared.”

That made Genma sit up in alert. „Where? When?”

“A village about two days from here. Our team is closest.” 

The brown-haired man absentmindedly rubbed his injured shoulder and Kakashi now fully turned to him. “You sure you can manage?”

A grim nod. “Still able to look after you or drag you home if needed. I don’t know him as good as you and Naruto, but I know Naruto would be sad if anything happens to Iruka. I won't let you go in alone, I’ll take the painkillers. What happened? What was he doing out here? Was it a mission? Was he alone?”

„Submitted a request for holidays. For solving a private matter in Nakasendo, but he didn’t report back.”

„We’re two weeks from Konoha. When did he leave the village? He’s a well-known workaholic, I can’t imagine him taking a vacation for anything less than serious matters.”

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders. „We’ll have to investigate to find out. You rest. My ninken will continue to keep watch.”

“Okay. And you use the ointment on your knees. I… just hope that this mission will turn out better than our last mission.”

The silver haired ANBU-captain nodded but couldn’t help the strange and foreboding feeling. Something didn’t feel right, and his instincts had never failed him. What made a skilled chunin like Iruka leave his village and stopped him from reporting back?  



	2. Banter and Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two hours left before sneaking into potential enemy territory...

Opening a black eye at the newcomer, Guruko rose his head for a second before the dog let it rest again on his paws after the gesture to remain silent. 

Shiranui Genma, oblivious to the scene displaying only a few meters away, was going through his usual stretching exercises. The travel to the Land of Shrines through the rainforest of Mangrove Country, a Country so small somewhere in Steel Country it didn’t even appear on most maps, had been harsh and demanding, and a soft drip of a gentle rain had soaked their clothes again and again. Perfect conditions for sore muscles. And maybe even a cold.

Leaning casually against a mossy tree, Kakashi crossed his arms over his chest, waiting with a broad grin well hidden under his black mask for his teammate to notice him while silently debating if he should sneak up on the other or not. But even an injured Genma was still an elite assassin and they weren’t in Konoha, where said man usually was relaxed around him… Still… _…sooo tempting-_

A senbon was suddenly vibrating only millimeters away from his right ear in the tree trunk, and Kakashi sweat-dropped. 

“How long have you been ogling me, pervert?”

As the ever-responsible captain, he should have said something like: Too long! You were completely unguarded! But he was talking to handsome and sexy Shiranui Genma right now, so he went for “Long enough to completely enjoy the show. Love it when you stretch your legs like that… It really highlights your… _thighs_.” instead. 

The apparent nonchalance made Genma’s eyebrow twitch in annoyance, and the copy nin loved every second of it.

“Guruko, you could have warned me,” he complained, but the loyal dog only trotted to Kakashi’s leg, rubbed its nose in an obvious request and threw himself on his back. Of course, that got him a thorough and well-deserved stomach rub from its master.

The special jounin turned up his nose at that and Kakashi sensed a sudden tension in the air. Was the other… jealous? Nooo, Genma’d never be jealous of a belly rub… Right?  
“Tsk. Traitor. Whatever. Why do I rarely see _you_ stretching?” Brown eyes drifted again to the happily slobbering Guruko and Kakashi answered with an eye-smile. 

“On missions, I usually use Kagebunshins for that.”

Stunned, Genma crossed his arms over his chest, obviously feeling a little stupid for not having noticed.

“Geniuses… giving belly rubs. Tsk. What did you find out while the normal mortals were trying to take care of their exhausted bodies, captain?”

“The border is strictly guarded. The police force is controlling everyone who wants to enter or exit Shrine Country in this area. It is as if they are looking for someone.”

“Think they want to stop someone to enter?”

“Can’t shake the impression, it’s the other way round. That they want someone to stay inside.”

“Iruka?”

“I don’t know. Rest for a while, we’ll cross the border after midnight, when the guards are most sleepy.”

“Found a loophole?”

“Something like that.” 

“Okay. Will we need disguises?”

“No Henges, they have sensors. Even if we suppress our chakra, I’m not sure we’ll be found out.”

“Sensors? So they are looking for shinobi? Will we climb the wall to cross the border?”

“No. No clouds and a full moon this night. Even if we use the ropes and hooks, the wall is high and guarded like a fortress.”

“In all my years doing diplomatic missions with Yondaime-sama, the border to Shrine Country was never heavily guarded. There are so many temples, it… it just doesn’t fit the lifestyle. I wonder what changed.”

“The wall was built with several earth-jutsus, but I am not sure they did it because of Iruka. Something is happening there, has been happening probably for a while now. And from what Pakkun told me, it’s only this part of the border that’s guarded.”

Genma scoffed. “Tsk. And it is enough. The mountains are a natural border. That makes that part of Shrine Country a jail. If we can’t climb the wall or go in in disguise, then how will we… Oh. Oh no.”

“That’s right. Rest. We’ll need your strength.”

“No, really, I mean it. If I use the Hiraishin without Raidou and Iwashi, it’ll cost me a lot of chakra, you know that. I might end up a millstone around your neck or dead or accidentally fuse my body with that of a racoon or something.”

“Together with Raidou and Iwashi you transported people hundreds of kilometers. I only want you to transport us into the forest fifteen meters away from the wall.”

“A forest…” Genma’s eyebrow twitched again. “What if I accidentally fuse _your_ body with a racoon?"

"You're too skilled of a sensor to make a mistake like that." 

"What if I die because of chakra-depletion? AGAIN! There’s no Tsunade here this time!”

“I’ve seen you done more.” Kakashi threw some chakra-pills over to his teammate. “Rest.”

“Nice way of showing your trust in my abilities… Before I nap,” Genma started, still in a grumpy mood, “I’d like to know what kind of plan you have for the part _after_ we somehow cross the border. I understand that you want us to sneak in without someone noticing us, I totally agree with all the guards at the border, but…-”

“You won’t be able to uphold a Henge for the time needed to find Iruka after you used the Hiraishin. And I don’t think we’ll have the time to only investigate in the shadows of the night, or if there are more sensors behind the border. We must use the traditional ninja ways. Which leads me to the most interesting question of the day: What will you be wearing in a few moments?”

“Huh?”

“What kind of disguises do who have with you?”

“Tsk. Give me a moment.” Genma rummaged through his stuff to triumphantly retrieve a small storage scroll that held several outfits. “Let’s see… It’s been some years since I had to use these treasures… Aww, just touching them makes me feel a little excited again…Turn around! Don’t look!”

“I’ve already seen everything, Genma.”

“Just for the surprise.”

“Fine.”

It only took him another minute to change outfits. “Well? What do you say?”

With a pounding heart, the deadly copy-nin of Konoha turned around. And gulped. 

Tight fitting trousers, a shirt that hugged Genma’s muscular chest in a sensual way, leaving enough space in the middle to compliment his throat, silk hair tied up in a messy knot…

“Too sexy!”, Kakashi choked, but couldn’t stop the ogling… or the few steps forward. His dick twitched in excitement. “It’s _magnetism!_ Way too sexy!” Oh how he wished he could say something else... Did he really care that much about professionalism...?

Genma pouted in mock disappointment and plucked a new senbon seemingly out of thin air to give his mouth a more becoming occupation that made Kakashi nervously lick his lips.

“Then how about this one?” After another minute, the Shiranui was wearing a muscle shirt and wide pants whose textile was flowing like water with every move, showing off every muscle of those well-toned thighs… The cocky grin was evidence enough that the assassin was enjoying his little show way too much for Kakashi’s taste. “Like what you see? _Captain?_ ”

With a deep breath to keep his dignity and calm, and to remind himself of his reputation, one of the deadliest elite ANBU to be ever active in Konoha awkwardly opened one of his breast pouches and retrieved one of his own scrolls. After a short jutsu he threw a pile of clothes at his teammate. Before he spoke, he cleared his throat a few times. It still sounded too raw to his ears. “Use these. I can’t believe you didn’t change the outfits in that scroll since your honeypot-…history. If you don’t want to seduce everyone on our way, use these clothes.”

“Really? A monk’s robe?”

“Way more suiting, Shrine Country and all.”

“Want me to shave my hair too?”

“It’s okay. You can be a layman monk.”

“Yeah… fine. Who respects the layman? And what about you?”

With a triumphant grin, Kakashi produced a second, slightly different outfit of a Komusō-monk along with the straw-hat and Genma laughed. 

“Almost perfect. No one can see your face with that. You also have a Shakuhachi?”

“Think I’ll need one?”

“Shrine Country and all, remember?”

“Hm, wise words. I’ve got one. But let’s just say, it needs to be repaired. Humidity and all.”

The look Genma gave him now was full of distrust and mischief – oh dear, the assassin clearly tasted blood. “You have one. You’ve got a Shakuhachi. Why did you never tell me?”  
Genma was too good of a Shamisen-player to hint any musicality in front of him – who would even want to compare to the brown-haired man’s sexiness while wearing a yukata and playing the instrument, charming and captivating the audience with musical expression, handsomeness and dexterity… “Who says I know how to play?”

“Because you are Hatake Kakashi, genius and all, and there is little to nothing you cannot do. One way or another, I’ll make you play for me.”

Kakashi snorted, accepting the challenge with his head held high and Genma returned that look, filled with promises. Thankfully, the sexy assassin did not lick his lips in anticipation or another ambiguous thing... Time for an emergency-change of topics!

“How’s your shoulder?”

“Still can’t move it well. I hope the samurai-sword didn’t cut important tendons… Would be nice if a medic would take a look soon before it stays like this forever and I’ll be known as the hunchback of Konoha.”

“Sounds frightening! But have no fear, I'll still pat your disfigured back in lust. Or give you a belly rub.” Guruko barked quietly and Genma snorted again while throwing his old pile of clothes at his ANBU captain.

Kakashi forced out a grin through gritted teeth, the feeling of responsibility for his teammate and lover razoring through his chest. They’d have to hurry to find Iruka and return to Konoha or a safehouse with a medic on their way back.

“Rest. I’ll do the heavy lifting on this mission.”

“Awesome. And I’ll just do a Hiraishin that might or might not kill us right at the beginning of our maybe-rescue-mission.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

*~*~*

When they reappeared in the forest behind the wall, Genma immediately stumbled to the ground. Having expected the reaction, Kakashi was fast to react and slung an arm around the other while at the same time sensing for the man’s chakra reserves. Heavily dimmed, but still strong, and he couldn’t suppress an unmanly giggle of relieve.

“That’s way more than fifteen meters, asshole.” There was also mumbling about ANBU captains that expected everyone to be a chakra-powerhouse after training a genin-team with a jinchuuriki, and other things Kakashi simply chose not to understand. Yes, the plan had been a risk, and yes, a big area of the forest touching the border had been felled in contrast to his intel, but his trust into the abilities of the former member of the Hokage guard platoon was nothing but profound. For shinobi, trust alone wasn’t enough to stay alive, but he had also experience and the knowledge of having worked with this man for so many years now, that he had been almost certain, they’d manage.

Kakashi carefully led the other to sit down and rest for a minute with his back to a tree, used his senses to make sure they were still alone and called Pakkun.

The pug appeared with a small puff of smoke and immediately trotted over to sniff at Genma’s leg as if to check if the other was still alive, before he followed their plan to scout and vanished into the dark of the nocturnal forest. 

Kakashi squatted down on the muddy floor and studied his teammate’s face. The other returned his gaze, wearing a dark but slightly proud expression. “Would be nice if we don’t repeat that stunt too often.”

Kakashi nodded, reached a hand out, brushing a strand of soft brown hair before hooking it behind the ear to finally let his hand press the healthy left shoulder. He was proud, too. Then he winked with one eye and retrieved his compass. “This direction. Ready when you are.”

A lazy grin. “Can’t stop looking at your ridiculous hat. Or head?”

“Are you delirious?”

“Maybe.”

Kakashi sighed and took off his straw-hat before creating a Kagebunshin, who wordlessly lifted the tired ANBU up and pushed and pulled until he was somehow holding onto his back. 

“t’s usually the oth’r way ‘r’nd, c’ptn,” came the mumbling, muffled by the robe.

“Yes.” The clone groped his ass and Genma supressed a shriek.

"Hatake... 'll so get y'r ass for tha'."

"Be more sneaky and maybe you'll be lucky."

Then they were off.

*~*~*

The village Nakasendo was almost at sight when Pakkun suddenly stopped. “I smell a corpse nearby.”

Genma lifted his head from where he had snuggled into the clone’s shoulder in alarm. “Is it Iruka?”

"I can't tell."

Kakashi nodded darkly. "Lead the way."


	3. Dignity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The investigation starts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really don't know about the slow pace of narration for this story. I somehow can't seem to get the right grip on it. Maybe it's because I want to write the ending but not really the way to it.... somehow...? Strange.
> 
> Warnings: There's a corpse. Be warned. It's never nice.

It clicked into place for Kakashi when Genma slid off his clone’s back in a fluid, panther-like motion, that his teammate had feigned the extent of his exhaustion on his expense. Maybe a wise man would have said, he should have known better, but his teacher would have said: ‘challenge accepted, jounin!’ 

They chased after Pakkun through the overgrown woods and came to a sudden halt at a small river meadow - a beautiful place in the warm rays of the early morning sun, if not for the corpse.

It wasn’t Iruka but the body of a female. In stunned silence the two battle-hardened ANBU took in the cruelty of the scene. It said much that Genma angrily spit on the ground, not even a hint of the usual lazy slouch in his posture, fists clenched. “That’s… not a way to get rid of someone permanently. Or of someone you respect.”

“Yes.” Kakashi took off his straw-hat, squatted on the grassy bank next to the mud hole and shooed away a swarm of persistent flies while taking in every detail. The body had been dumped in a way that screamed humiliation. The smell was nauseating to his sensitive nose. From what he could see, someone had stabbed the woman at least seven times and put her partially clothed body afterwards with her head and feet into the mud in a v-form.

Genma started searching the ground for tracks but shook his head after a minute or two. “The path to this place hasn’t been used by humans for weeks.” 

Pakkun continued the task, his scent much more developed, but Kakashi already doubted, he’d find much more than Genma. “But the path is used frequently.”

“I’ve seen a lot of shit but this… What kind of fucker leaves a woman …like that?”

“I fear said fucker wanted her to be found like that. Even if he left her here in the swamp, there is said path leading to this place. If he had put her body completely into the mud, no one would have ever found her... She’s wearing a pouch.”

Genma looked at him. “You want to investigate?”

“Something is happening here, and I want to know what and if Iruka has anything to do with that. Help me get her out.”

It became apparent that is was a rather difficult task to retrieve a corpse out of a mudhole. Kakashi had to use a wired Kunai to provide a better grip on the slippery grass for Genma and himself. With their combined strength and careful not to fall into the mudhole themselves, surrounded by hundreds of angry buzzing flies, they lifted the limp corpse against the suction of the swamp. 

She was wearing no shoes.

Kakashi nodded towards the hole and Genma immediately kneeled onto the grass to rummage through the mud to only find one shoe. “There is no other. I’m sure. And something just bit my finger. Hope it’s just a mudskipper. Maybe she lost her other shoe when she fled.”

With a water-jutsu, Kakashi carefully cleaned the shoe as well as Genma’s arms and hand, and shortly followed the thought of how nice it felt as the other trusted him blindly to use any kind of jutsus on him without much thought.

“If she tried to get away from the perpetrator, there are no traces of a flight nearby. Or not anymore. Still, I think it is unlikely she was killed here – not if neither you nor Pakkun were able to find any clues. No blood, nothing else. There is nothing here on this meadow but the riverbank, the mudhole, bushes and grass.”

Genma nodded in agreement while sucking extensively on his finger to disinfect the small bite wound there with saliva. Kakashi had to forcefully turn his gaze away to not get any thoughts in a situation like this. At least not so soon. 

He cleared his throat and saw Genma busying himself with emptying the contents of the pouch on the ground out of the corner of his eye. Everything was soaked and muddy, but one object stuck out like a torchlight: a weapon. A kunai, to be precise.

The assassin cleaned it on the grass and examined material and balance with the expertise of someone who grew up with a weapon exactly like that. “Made in Konoha. Pakkun, can you tell if it’s one of Iruka’s?”

He squatted and Pakkun trotted over. After a sniff, the pug shook its head. “Possible. I can’t be certain, not anymore. The swamp swallowed all traces.” 

“What if she was a kunoichi? From Konoha? A rogue nin? Maybe Iruka was looking for her. Could even be a tragic romantic drama.”

“To early to jump to complicated conclusions. The weapon could have been left here in Shrine Country after a fight between shinobi, maybe even smuggled. But no, I doubt she’s a kunoichi. Contrary to you and me, for a civilian person it is hard to handle a weapon like a kunai. Civilians are more used to knifes. Panicked enough to run for her life, losing a shoe in her haste, but when her pursuer caught up with her, she didn’t even open her bag to grab for the weapon. Maybe she even forgot she was carrying it. She’s a civilian and she I suspect she knew she was in danger.”

Genma rose both eyebrows and Kakashi motioned to the ground between them. “The insides of the bag are the leftovers of an emergency bag. Food, clothes, money, cutlery: nothing that weighs too much. She was ready to flee but when the time came, she wasn’t fast enough. Not against a shinobi. An angry shinobi.”

Genma gulped audibly after hearing the words, and Kakashi turned back to the corpse to show him what he meant. “She was stabbed with a sharp and thin object sixteen times. This wasn’t torture, this was rage. But the murder-weapon was not this kunai. Give me one of your senbon, Genma.”

“Tsk.” With open disgust the brunette shooed a fly away and reached into his own pouch hidden somewhere in his plain yukata to retrieve one of his beloved needles. Kakashi apologized to the dead woman with a bow before using the senbon to carefully find out angle and depth of the wounds. “I’d say the murderer was right-handed and really strong. Here and here he or she even heavily damaged a rib.”

“You’re not sure it was a man?”

“Could have also been a kunoichi. But… something about _how_ she was dumped here tells me …somehow… the possibility is higher this act was committed by a man.”

Genma frowned but gave a grim nod. “You think Iruka is somehow involved?”

“At this point there’s still no indication he isn’t.”

“You don’t think he killed her, right?”

Kakashi halted in his motions and turned around in surprise. Genma really thought the kind teacher to be capable of such a deed? “Iruka isn’t the type of guy to dumb a corpse in such a disrespectful manner, even more so that she’s a civilian.”

“What if he was controlled? Mind-control. Hypnosis. Blackmailing.”

Kakashi rose an eyebrow and watched two flies crawling up Genma’s sweaty neck. “Just because you were controlled by someone twice doesn’t mean that happens often. And to blackmail someone into something like that, I’d like to hear about _that_ motive.”

A slap and the flies were off again. “The blackmail-thing, okay. But with so many Yamanakas out there, I wouldn’t be so fast to dismiss the other theories. Just wait until someone controls your body and we’ll talk again.”

Kakashi sighed and absentmindedly performed a complicated string of hand signs. Red flaming butterflies danced beautifully on his fingertips before spreading on the meadow. The swarm of flies angrily gave up and let the corpse and the two ANBU alone for a moment. Satisfied, he returned his attention back to the woman. “There are larvae and eggs. Any idea how long she’s been here?”

Genma made a face and scratched the back of his head in a surprisingly open show of insecurity. “It’s been years since I travelled with the biologist. Or with Shizune. I’m not sure.”

“It would be really helpful to at least have an idea. You can do it. Just take a closer look. Concentrate. I know it’s still there. Use the good old shinobi memory techniques our parents taught us as children and shine.”

With a pained groan, the assassin massaged the bridge of his nose between two fingers. “You really are the most troublesome captain… and I worked under Gai. Fine. I’ll give it a try. But don’t come to me and complain if I’m completely wrong, I can only roughly calculate since when she’s been here. Give me a moment. And don’t use your sharingan on me without my consent.”

“That was _once_ …”

Putting on the gloves that were part of his first aid kit and pressing a handkerchief to his nose, Genma kneeled in front of the corpse and inspected the traces left by nature, the smell, the insects, the mingled flesh of the arm where a wild animal had nibbled… He closed his eyes, deep in concentration, going back and through his memory step by step to combine what he had learned in his years as a shinobi, as part of team Shizune and bodyguard for the biologist, remembering smells, tastes, colors, speech fragments, … The scene sent dark goosebumps down Kakashi’s spine.

“Hmm. No rigor mortis. Means, she’s been dead for longer than 48 hours. Head and feet were somewhat preserved by the mud… But the rest… Clear traces of decomposition like the smell and… livor mortis, yes, the other things… and fluids… all here. Okay. Eggs, cocoonlike shells and larvae… The larvae here..., they’ll develop into flies, many already did. First day: eggs… They hatch on the second day, but it takes eight to nine days for the larvae to form a cocoonlike shell like the ones here… It takes them about two weeks to become adult flies like the swarms molesting us.

…These long and yellow eggs here are that of the butterfly species we talked about before. The eggs take about ten to fourteen days to develop into caterpillars, so … I am no expert, but I’d say she’s been dead for more or less two weeks.”

He silently went up and took a few steps to the side, audibly taking in fresh air. Kakashi didn’t comment. This wasn’t routine. And it never should be.

When Genma started to form the finger signs for an earth jutsu, he almost intervened, but his companion noticed in time that he couldn’t use a jutsu. 

“Here we are monks now,” the ANBU-captain said, voice rough and deep.

His friend nodded, turned around without an explanation and stepped into the forest. After a moment he came back with a flower, and Kakashi nodded in agreement with the gesture. “That won’t hold back animals like an earth jutsu would have done, but it’s at least a sign of dignity.”

Kakashi used a water-jutsu to clean the body as gently as possible, before stepping next to his partner. "It's sad enough." Genma put the flower onto the woman’s chest and both shinobi bowed in respect and silence.

When they turned their backs to the scene to head towards their destination, Kakashi spoke quietly:

“You did what you could, Genma. We’ll leave her here and alarm the people of Nakasendo to take care of her. That’s where Iruka should be, and maybe our potential enemy, too. Let’s hope there won’t be more corpses and that someone misses her.”

"And that Iruka's not in danger", Genma added, and Kakashi gulped.

"Yes."

**~**

The village was a mere ten minutes away. Stone paths were lined by traditional houses made of magnificent carved wood and massive stone, quietly lying there like buildings of ancient times. A lot of flowers were blooming in the morning sun peeking over the majestic mountains in the background.

Monks of different religions crossed their path and Kakashi had the nerve to bow to every single one of them. As the layman monk he played, Genma had to repeat the gesture every single time.

Missions with Kakashi were rare but the jounin never ceased to annoy him to the same length he amazed him. A vivid example happened minutes ago:

_”Which names should we use?”_

_“Hmmmm… I’ll be… Ka…-to. And you’ll be… Gen-…ta.” A happy grin and Genma darkly chewed on his bottom lip._

_“Awesome thinking, taichou.”_

They reported their sad discovery to the small police station. The elderly and friendly policeman wasn’t surprised by two monks appearing at his doorstep, but immediately wanted to know more about the corpse. He sent a curious street kid to get the doctor and together with Kakashi and two volunteers, they went to retrieve the poor woman’s body and bring her to the doctor. 

She was identified as a citizen of Nakasendo, living at her sister’s house at the edge of the village. Apparently, she had been looking after the plants while her sister and her husband were on a short spiritual trip into the mountains. The police officer, Takeshi, immediately send a group a teenager to look for them. Kakashi noticed the old man giving the street kids some money in secret. The kids saluted with a grin and ran.

The medic, Hābu, a woman so old it was a miracle she was alive and moving with a walking stick that looked the same age, went to work with trembling hands and Kakashi instructed Genma to be her aid. The woman adjusted to the situation with ease. Komusō-monks were highly respected in Shrine Country, but that didn’t go the same length for Genma’s disguise and he knew Kakashi completely enjoyed the sight of him being reduced to a mere errand boy by the old woman.

A sudden commotion on the street called Takeshi out of the police station again and with a strength no one would have given the woman, Hābu poked her walking stick at Genma’s shoulder to stop him from following. “Let me take a look, boy.”

Genma sighed. “I was ambushed by muggers. That’s why I followed Kato-san. No one robbs a spiritual man like him.” The grouchy feelings behind these words were honest and the old woman didn’t seem to be alerted by the lie. 

That was how Genma got his shoulder treated by a professional medic and Kakashi got involved into the investigation of the murder case because of his smart insight and respected position, and Genma found himself the right hand of the woman tasked with the examination of the corpse.

A perfect start. Now they only needed to find Iruka.

It was only a minute later, that the police officer came back. “I am deeply sorry to interrupt again, but the street kids found a second corpse outside the village.”


End file.
